UN and Africa: Modern peacekeeping, Darfur’s winning RETD and UNMISS’s lifesaving role

“New set of tools” needed for modern peacekeeping: Dallaire

A “new set of tools” is needed to make UN peacekeeping fit for today’s more dangerous and complex world. That’s according to perhaps the most renowned of all former UN Force Commanders, Canadian Lt General Roméo Dallaire, who was in charge of the blue helmets serving in Rwanda in 1994, during the genocide there. Matt Wells spoke to Lt-General Dallaire at the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference held in Vancouver, Canada and asked him how UN peacekeeping had changed since his time in Rwanda during the 1990s.

Darfur team’s ordnance education device wins top UN Award

A project that aims to educate people in remote areas of Darfur about the dangers of explosive remnants of war has been awarded a UN prize for innovation and creativity. The solar powered Risk Education Talking Device (RETD) will contain multiple pre-recorded audios such as songs, interviews and messages, and targets people who may not be able to read or who live in areas that lack electricity. The device looks kind of like a mobile phone and was developed by the Ordnance Disposal Office at the joint UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). Setyo Budi has been speaking to Jeffrey McMurdo and Abel Tesfai there. Mr McMurdo began by explaining why the device is needed.

Major Zeidoun Al-Rawashdeh speaking to Daniel Dickinson at the UN Mission in South Sudan. UNMISS/Isaac Billy

“Lifesaving role” of UN medical service in South Sudan

A team of doctors, nurses and technicians plays a “lifesaving role” in South Sudan according to a senior Jordanian doctor in the UN Peacekeeping Mission there, UNMISS. The UNMISS medical team cares for around 17,000 military, police and civilian staff across the country as well as on occasions South Sudanese civilians. Major Zeidoun Al-Rawashdeh is a Jordanian doctor who has served in UN peacekeeping missions in four countries; Haiti, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and now South Sudan. He’s been speaking to Daniel Dickinson.